Tuesday, November 30, 2010

You Get Proud by Practicing - A poem by Laura Hershey

I feel sad that I found Laura Hershey's work so late in the day, after she had passed on. I have not been able to let go of this poem since I read it, and felt it really needed to just keep spreading.

You Get Proud by Practicingby Laura Hershey

If you are not proudFor who you are, for what you say, for how you look;If every time you stopTo think of yourself, you do not see yourself glowingWith golden light; do not, therefore, give up on yourself.You can get proud.

You do not needA better body, a purer spirit, or a Ph.D.To be proud.You do not needA lot of money, a handsome boyfriend, or a nice car.You do not needTo be able to walk, or see, or hear,Or use big, complicated words,Or do any of those things that you just can’t doTo be proud. A caseworkerCannot make you proud,Or a doctor.You only need more practice.You get proud by practicing.

There are many many ways to get proud.You can try riding a horse, or skiing on one leg,Or playing guitar,And do well or not so well,And be glad you triedEither way.You can showSomething you’ve madeTo someone you respectAnd be happy with it no matterWhat they say.You can sayWhat you think, though you knowOther people do not think the same way, and you cankeep saying it, even if they tell youYou are crazy.

You can add your voiceAll night to the voicesOf a hundred and fifty othersIn a circleAround a jailhouseWhere your brothers and sisters are being heldFor blocking buses with no lifts,Or you can be one of the onesInside the jailhouse,Knowing of the circle outside.You can speak your loveTo a friendWithout fear.You can find someone who will listen to youWithout judging you or doubting you or beingAfraid of youAnd let you hear yourself perhapsFor the very first time.These are all waysOf getting proud.None of themAre easy, but all of themAre possible. You can do all of these things,Or just one of them again and again.You get proudBy practicing.

Power makes you proud, and powerComes in many fine formsSupple and rich as butterfly wings.It is musicwhen you practice opening your mouthAnd liking what you hearBecause it is the sound of your ownTrue voice.

It is sunlightWen you practice seeingStrength and beauty in everyone,Including yourself.It is dancewhen you practice knowingThat what you doAnd the way you do itIs the right way for youAnd cannot be called wrong.All these holdMore power than weapons or moneyOr lies.All these practices bring power, and powerMakes you proud.You get proudBy practicing.

Remember, you weren’t the oneWho made you ashamed,But you are the oneWho can make you proud.Just practice,Practice until you get proud, and once you are proud,Keep practicing so you won’t forget.You get proudBy practicing.

More can be found about Laura Hershey, including her publications and how to order them, on her webpage: www.laurahershey.com